The best time to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is early, and online. You can save and continue the FAFSA at any time online and then sign your application electronically using a personal identification number (PIN) which you can get from the Federal Student Aid PIN Web site.
The FAFSA is primarily designed to assess eligibility for federal student aid but many schools also use the FAFSA to determine eligibility for nonfederal student aid funds. The following are some helpful tips in filling out the application.
- Filling out the Pre-Application Worksheet will help you collect and proofread the information for your application before you submit it. There are resources available if you decide you need assistance filling out the FAFSA, check the FAQ section on the FAFSA Web site, or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED AID (1-800-433-3243).
- Completing your taxes early will help you get a jump on the FAFSA because you'll need that information to complete the FAFSA. You can estimate the amounts using data from previous tax years, but you'll need to correct the amounts on the form later by going to the corrections page on the FAFSA Web site. If you are not required to file taxes you still have to fill out a FAFSA for federal aid consideration.
Errors you make when filling out the FAFSA could delay your application. See below for some common errors you should avoid when filling out the FAFSA.
Leaving blank fields–enter a '0' or 'not applicable' instead of leaving a blank. Too many blanks may cause miscalculations and an application rejection.
Using commas or decimal points in numeric fields–always round to the nearest dollar.
Listing incorrect Social Security Number or Driver's license number–be sure to double check this data for accuracy.
Entering the wrong federal income tax paid amount–obtain your federal income paid amount from your income tax return forms, not your W-2 form(s).
Listing Adjusted Gross Income as equal to total income–these are usually not the same figure. In most cases, the AGI is larger than the total income. This mistake is particularly common.
Listing marital status incorrectly–only write yes if you're currently married. They want to know what you're marital status is on the day you sign the FAFSA, or Renewal FAFSA.
Leaving the question about drug-related offenses blank–If you're unsure about something, find out before you submit your FAFSA instead of leaving it blank. A conviction doesn't necessarily disqualify you from getting aid.
Forgetting to list the college–obtain the Federal School Code for the college you plan on attending and list it–along with any other schools to which you've applied. Quinnipiac University School of Law’s Federal School Code is E00545.
Listing incorrect housing plans–you will need to list your housing plans specific to each school you have listed; if you are living off campus at one institution, you may be living on campus or with a parent at another.
Listing incorrect family size–you will need to provide your family size which in many cases may be one; you no longer list parental data on the FAFSA so you do not count your parents and siblings in your family size; you would count spouses and children.
Entering the wrong address–your permanent address is not your campus or summer address.
Forgetting to sign and date– If you're filing electronically, be sure to obtain your PIN from www.pin.ed.gov. Your PIN is your electronic signature and will always be assigned to you only.
Sending in a copy of your income tax returns–you will be contacted if your information needs verification; you don't need to send a copy of your tax returns in with your application.
Sources: NASFAA ; Department of Education
